


Fox Hunt

by Ayanon, Yalishandela



Category: Helix Waltz (Video Game)
Genre: Elven Road Trips, F/M, Mystery, No cheating, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2019-10-17 06:52:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17555483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayanon/pseuds/Ayanon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yalishandela/pseuds/Yalishandela
Summary: In retrospect everything had started falling apart when the girl arrived in Finsel. Fortunately she stayed to pick up the pieces.





	1. Barris

His father had once said “the best thing about just men is that they can be found anywhere. Noble or commoner, there will always be someone who does what is right.”

Then he'd grinned, patted Barris on the shoulder and continued, “that is why we need to take advantage of them.”

And Barris had nodded, raised his chin and - in true Sakan fashion - ignored the advice given to him. 

 

Barris believed in justice, law and honesty, however little there was to be found in the world of nobility. 

 

People usually asked if it was hard for him as a member of the Sakan family to stay neutral or fair, especially when faced with an influential noble. It wasn’t. The worst part about being a Sakan was dealing with the Sakans.

 

* * *

  
  


The coachman blinked in annoyance and rubbed his palms together when Barris ordered him to wait in front of the Sakan mansion. He could not blame the old man, not with the ice cold wind sending shivers down their spines despite the clear spring sky above their heads.

“I will make it quick,” he said, praying inwardly that it would turn out to be the truth.

 

“The Viscount is in his office,” the servant told him as he entered the house, which would have sounded good to anyone not related to this family. Barris knew better.

 

He found Juven sleeping at the desk, still fully dressed and hunched over an impressive amount of paperwork - which affirmed Barris’ suspicions that Juven had spent more time talking than working again and that Asteria had not been home the night before to prevent it from happening.

Barris didn't bother to close the door behind him when he entered, allowing the candlelight from the hallway to brighten the dimness of Juven’s study. A good decision, as it turned out, since he had to step over several stacks of books on his way towards his nephew. 

 

“I've brought the documents you asked for,” Barris said as he walked around the desk, holding onto its surface in case he encountered more tripping hazards. Juven stirred, then hummed softly, still more asleep than not. 

Barris then grabbed the curtains and opened them in one swift move. He reached into his bag to grab the pack of papers and let it fall on the desk with a heavy thud. 

 

That finally got a reaction. Juven winced and covered his eyes with one hand. He tilted his head to look up at Barris, the corners of his mouth forming a light smile when he recognized his uncle. His face was paler than usual, but he didn’t seem even slightly bothered that he had been caught slacking off again. “Great to see you too, uncle.”

 

Barris settled for a huff and let his gaze wander across the room.

Staples of letters and paper were stacked up on the desk, and someone had raided the bookshelves along the wall. Most of the books now inhabited the seats or the floor, with a few maps spread out on top of them. 

 

He resisted the urge to take a closer look. He was only there to give Juven the documents. 

 

“Feel free to sit down.” Juven pointed at the chair opposite of him, the last one that wasn't buried beneath copies of history books on Finsel's magic and monsters. 

 

“I won't stay long. There's a carriage waiting for me.” 

At least his brother wasn't around to see the chaos. Langwon cared about precious little in this household, but his literary collection had always been amongst his favorite possessions. Barris had once found a limited edition of  _ A Collection of Finsel's Beauty _ stuck between the history books, and he'd thrown it out the window. 

 

One of the document piles was disturbingly close to sliding off the corner, so he took a step forward to push it back into place.

 

“Is that an offer of help?”

 

Barris let his arm fall to his side and shook his head.

Juven sighed softly, and Barris almost felt sorry. Instead he grabbed one of the books on the nearest chair - an encyclopedia of herbs and medicine - and put it back on the third shelf where it belonged.

 

“Good to see you still know what belongs where in this house.” Juven had grabbed a feathered quill and opened the first letter. Judging by the seal it had been sent by one of a minor noble houses. Juven skimmed through it, then put it aside. 

 

“Someone has to.”

 

Juven didn't acknowledge him this time and reached for the next letter instead. After a few moments he added it to the pile where the first letter had gone.

 

“Are you simply going to shuffle them around all day, or do you intend to work?” 

 

“I am prioritizing, unless you want me to be giving blessings to pets named in my honor all day.”

 

He reached for the next letter. His mouth twitched - never a good sign - and held it up before turning it around. The seal showed the Chamber of Commerce's sigil. 

“Maybe this one's for you.”

Barris ripped it from his hands. “They know better than to send it here if it was for me.”

“Of course they do.”

 

Barris swallowed, fighting his anger and the blush creeping up his neck. “I will take it with me for now. You will be busy enough as it is.”

 

“And here I thought you would share some news as well.” Juven stretched and leaned back in his chair, as frustratingly nonchalant as ever. His tie was hanging rather loosely around his neck, and Barris’ hands wandered to readjust his own.

 

“No. You know I can’t do that,” Barris growled.

 

“Of course, of course.” Juven did not bother to look disappointed. “I simply happened to overhear some gossip on new laws about to be implemented. No names were mentioned, but we all know that only one person would ever dare to target nobility. Some people won't be happy about being jailed… if the rumors are true, that is.” His expression returned to the frustratingly innocent smile. 

 

A few years ago Barris would have tried to understand, tried to get behind this facade somehow. But Juven had inherited his father’s stubbornness and love for collecting more secrets than any reasonable person could even think of. 

 

“We are far from that. You know as well as I do that half the council has ties to the nobles we'd arrest.”

 

“Hopefully you won't start with the ones who have private armies. I can already see the Bavlenkas laying siege on the prison. Remind me not to be there if Lou joins them.”

 

“I have considered all this already. You should focus on your own work.”  _ And not being arrested.  _

 

Juven sat up straight all of a sudden, looking decidedly less tired than before. “Good morning! You’re up early.”

 

Barris raised a brow and turned towards the corridor. For a moment the doorway stayed empty, but then his niece peeked around the corner, a lopsided grin on her face. Nervous. “Morning! Great to see you, uncle Barris!”

He managed a tiny smile. He would definitely be late for work today. 

 

“Mind sharing where you are headed?” Juven was already back in his relaxed pose, a hand supporting his chin, still in good spirits. 

 

Barbara came into full view, pointing at the bag hanging off her shoulder. “Lady Nyx invited me over. She asked for a few new books, so I picked some from father's library.” She shrugged when she noticed Barris’ expression. “It's not like he'll notice they're gone.”

 

Juven slowly twirled the feather in his hand, humming softly. “I see. You need your bow to hunt down the afternoon cake, then?”

 

She made a face and looked to the side.

_ Guilty. _

 

“I  _ was _ invited, though,” she murmured. “I, uh, will help you sort the other books when I’m back, I promise!” 

 

Juven and Barris exchanged glances.

“I will hold you to that,” Juven said and gave a small wave of his hand. 

 

Barbara beamed at him. “You're the best! See you later!” With that she was gone.

 

They waited in silence until the sound of her footsteps had faded.

Barris was the first one to speak. “I assume you will take responsibility if my brother returns before the books are back?” 

 

Juven winked. “I can't exactly blame it on you anymore, can I?”

Before Barris could answer he put his quill aside and stood. “You said there was a carriage waiting for you, no? I don’t want to hold you up.”

 

Barris frowned. That was quite a sudden change of mind. Still, this visit had wasted enough of his time. He looked down at the letter in his hand. “I doubt this is directed at me, so you will get it back soon.”

 

To his surprise Juven followed him out of the room and along the corridors, right up to the main entrance. A servant started approaching and Juven sent him off with a smile and a shake of his head.

“I swear, if you are trying to use me as a means of skipping work again...” Barris started to say, but Juven wasn’t listening to him any longer. His gaze was set on something behind them, and Barris turned to follow. 

 

Lady Asteria stood at the top of the stairs, a satchel around her waist and an uncharacteristically sheepish look on her face. 

 

“What a coincidence,” Juven murmured, quieter than before but loud enough for Asteria to catch it. He still wore his smile, but now there was an unmistakable edge to it. 

 

Barris cursed under his breath. So that was the real reason Juven had wanted to escort him to the door in the first place. 

 

“Good morning to you both. I didn't intend to interrupt your conversation.” Asteria made an attempt to smile, though it ended up looking even more distant than usual. Her gaze wandered to the entrance doors, then to Barris and, at last, back to Juven. 

 

“Don't worry, my uncle was just about to leave,” Juven said, finally reaching for his tie to fasten it. “We didn't have a chance to talk yesterday, so it's nice to see you now.” 

 

“I apologize for my sudden absence. I had important matters to attend to.” Asteria didn't hurry as she buttoned her coat and descended the stairs. 

 

Juven tugged lightly at his sleeves. “Barbara passed by the office not long ago and she took her bow with her. You might still catch up to her… Provided that you want to.”

 

For an instance Barris thought that Juven wouldn't move aside as she approached, but he did, keeping his distance as if Asteria had conjured a barrier around herself.

 

Asteria stopped just short of the exit. “I will.”

 

To his surprise they both looked at Barris, almost as if they were expecting him to join in whatever war they were fighting. Barris swallowed his anger and made it a point to look at neither as he took the last few steps towards the door; past Juven, Asteria and whatever tension was between them. “I will take my leave, then. I have business to attend to. Good day.”

 

He didn't wait for a response. The crisp morning air that greeted him felt like a blessing by now. He almost let out a sigh of relief when he saw that the carriage was still waiting for him. He’d have to compensate the driver later.

However, before he could shut the door behind him, Asteria slipped right through. Her cheeks were colored pink, and Barris was sure that she sent a quick glance towards the entrance. 

 

He expected an uncomfortable silence, but she only bowed her head and spoke. “Thank you for your help.”

Barris made a small sound, not wanting to dismiss her but quite unsure of what exactly she had meant. 

Luckily she didn't wait for him to answer, turned on her heels and set off with hurried steps as if Juven would try to stop her after all. Barris followed her escape with his eyes and for a second he was sure he saw a flash of a bright pink skirt behind the gates.    
He took another long breath before making his way to the carriage. 

  
No matter what anyone claimed, his family's true ability was to complicate absolutely everything. And whatever was happening here, he didn't like it one bit. 

 

Protecting the Sakan's name from vultures hiding under the guise of nobility was not the hardest of his duties. His biggest worry was whether he could keep protecting his loved ones from themselves.


	2. Asteria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Asteria's powers are based on comments in her intel exchange conversations, where Magda mentions "her thoughts going directly into [her] head".

Barbara met her with a grin. “I thought I'd have to leave without you.”

 

Asteria softly shook her head, trying her best to respond with a smile of her own. “I did promise I would join you today.”

 

“Of course you did.” Barbara’s voice sounded as cheerful as ever but her smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Let’s go.”

 

Asteria followed as Barbara shouldered her bow and walked ahead, not in the slightest fazed by the cold.

She had never been one to sit still, no matter how many times she'd been chided. By the time Barbara could walk she had earned herself the title _pink terror_ among the servants. Only Juven had stood a chance to distract her from her escape attempts, pulling every facial expression he could think of to make her giggle and run into his arms. Asteria had never been able to do the same.

Then Langwon had made the mistake of gifting her a bow for her birthday, likely as another apology for his absence. From then on it had acted as an extension of her arms, and few days passed that hadn't ended with her coming home in dirty and torn clothing.

Asteria wondered how many holes Barbara had mended by herself over the years in order to escape being scolded.

 

“If you walk any slower they'll be done with practice by the time we arrive.”

Asteria looked up to see Barbara balancing on a stone wall. She was swiftly moving forward, scaring a flock of pigeons along the way.  

 

Asteria frowned in concern. It was not the first time Barbara acted recklessly outside, nor would it be the last, but she had to remind herself that Barbara was no longer that little girl who started crying whenever Asteria used her powers.

The rest of the way they spent in silence, with Barbara finding any opportunity not to use the main road, instead opting for stone fences and benches on their way. Once they reached their destination Barbara waved enthusiastically at the guards that stood by the entrance.

The younger guard returned Barbara's gesture sheepishly and motioned for the other to open the gate.

He looked surprised when Asteria followed, bowing as she passed. “It's- it's an honor to meet you again, Lady Asteria.”

She opted for a polite nod instead of saying anything. Trying to remember when or where they had met was a lost cause most of the time. Perhaps he had been part of the Sakan’s army before being chosen for the Senate.

 

“Have you visited this place often?” Asteria asked once they were out of earshot.

 

Barbara scratched her nose. “Oh, I’ve trained with some of the guards before.”

That was not quite an answer, but it was evident that she wouldn't get a better one.

 

Several soldiers of the Senate’s guard had scattered across the field, some with spears in their hands, others practicing spells. The wall closest to the mages showed obvious traces of fire magic, and despite the flaming fireballs thrown around many of the idle men stood suspiciously close to the mages’ side, rubbing their palms together.

 

They walked along the edge of the field, watching as soldiers fought with swords and spears.

The archers occupied the space furthest from them. Alminas himself had taken up his bow, demonstrating the proper posture to the newest recruits that had gathered around him in a half-circle.

He had strapped a quiver to his waist and pointed a longbow at one of the training targets. It was rare to see him in anything but his elegant clothing he wore whenever he attended the nobles’ balls.

 

Barbara took off her hat, dropping it unceremoniously on the ground. She rummaged through her bag until she held a small patch of leather in her hand. “Finger guards,” she said, waving them in front of Asteria. “You’ll hurt your fingers if you don’t use them.”

She put them on, then jumped up to show the correct posture for shooting, just like Alminas had done.

Asteria bit back a smile. “What else should one bear in mind?”

“There’s a lot you need to think of, like your bow and arrow type,” Barbara said, and her eyes lit up with delight at the prospect of demonstrating her skills. “Have you never used one?”

“Your father tried to teach me a long time ago,” she answered, “I preferred to rely on magic, however.”

“Oh. I didn’t think my father would have the patience for that.”

Once again their conversation veered towards an uncomfortable silence. This time she was saved by a round of applause that sounded from behind her. Asteria turned to see several women dressed in long fur robes near the field, obviously enjoying the view. Some held binoculars to their eyes.

 

Barbara rolled her eyes. “They're here every single time. You'd think they get bored at some point, but they just stand here and watch.”

“Not everyone wants to learn how to fight,” Asteria said, earning herself another eyeroll.

“Doesn't mean you will never have to fight. And I asked some of the new recruits - you won't believe how many of them joined only to be able to look at their leader's behind!”

 

Asteria flushed, now at a loss of words.

Barbara apparently noticed, as she started gesticulating wildly with her arms. “Don't look at me like that! I- they talk about these stupid things sometimes!”

“I see.” Juven would not be happy to hear of this. “Is that why you come here to train?”

 

Barbara made a face as if she had bitten into a lemon. “No! I'm not like them! And Alminas is nice, but…” She tilted her head, apparently searching for the right word. “... Old.”

Asteria swallowed and averted her gaze. “Ah. I understand.”

“I didn't mean to- I'm not saying _you're_ old, just…” Barbara fell silent.

With that their companionable mood was gone again, and Barbara shifted her weight from one leg to the other as she waited for her invitation to join the training.

 

Alminas drew his bow again, paying the onlookers no mind. Another shot, another arrow hit the mark. The women cheered once more.

Finally he lowered his weapon and turned to his men. Asteria couldn’t hear what he was saying, but it appeared that the lesson had switched to unstringing a bow.

They clearly weren’t completely new to archery, judging by their speed and finesse at handling the weapons. Nonetheless Alminas used the short break to retrieve the arrows he had shot - and finally he turned to Barbara and her.

The slightest hint of a nod was enough to set the girl into motion.

“You'll watch after my bag, right?” Barbara didn't even wait for an answer as she took off towards the archers.

She stood out among her male, more plainly dressed peers, yet no one seemed to care as she nimbly caught up on the new exercise Alminas instructed the group with.

 

Finally the recruits seemed ready to take up the task and Alminas stepped away, giving them space to shoot on their own. He put down his bow, his gaze slowly skimming over his admirers until it settled on Asteria for the first time this day. He swiftly made his way to her.

“It is good to see you,” Alminas said, regarding her with a polite smile before he took his place at her side. Not too close, lest they risked another rumor, but still close enough to hear each other.

 

Asteria returned the smile. “Likewise.”

 

The crowd of women behind them fell suspiciously silent, yet Alminas made no attempt to move away or acknowledge their presence in any other way.

“I fear I do not have much time to talk," he said. “We’ve had a flow of newly appointed recruits from various noble families and they require my attention.”

  
“I will not distract you for long. I only want to make sure the young lady is behaving and you have no qualms with her being here.” Asteria smiled politely, giving a nod towards the training grounds where Barbara was readying her bow.

 

“Ah, the young lady.” Alminas folded his hands behind his back. “There’s no doubt she is one of the best archers in her age group. I am pleased to have her train with us.”

They watched in silence as one of the older recruits approached the girl and held a quiver in front of her, just to pull it away when she reached for it. Barbara pounced at him in return, much to the joy of the surrounding boys. Archery seemed to be forgotten in favor of boxing for the moment.

From the corner of her eye Asteria could see Alminas straighten his posture. “Though I fear she might run into trouble from time to time.”

 

Asteria suppressed a sigh. Barbara’s presence never allowed for a dull moment.  
“Her technique is outstanding,” Alminas continued, seemingly unconcerned - but Asteria could see him follow every movement of the brawl with a sharp gaze. “The only thing she lacks for now is discipline. I am sure she will learn as she grows older.” As if sensing Alminas’ eyes upon her, Barbara turned her head to realize he had been watching the entire time. She huffed and stood down, not wanting to worsen the scolding she was clearly in for later. Another boy of her age offered her his quiver and Barbara proceeded to the exercise at last.

 

Asteria flinched as a gunshot rang out close behind her back. A string of rapturous _Oh_ s and _Ah_ s told her that the ladies had found themselves a new target to gush about. She briefly glanced over her shoulder, content to know that they had mostly gone back to whispering among themselves.

When she turned back Alminas gave her a slight nod, and she finally let her mind focus on her telepathic powers. With him standing so close it was no effort to connect their thoughts. Alminas made many things easier.

 

 _“I assume there is a reason for your visit,”_ Alminas’ voice echoed in her mind. He didn’t mean to chide or insult, but Asteria still felt a tinge of guilt.

 

 _”There is,”_ she admitted with unease. _“The information you provided the last time turned out to be a dead end.”_

He stayed silent, so she continued, “ _It seems those were empty rumors after all. I am sorry._ ”

 

He still said nothing, so she turned her head to look directly at him. He was watching his students closely, likely taking mental notes for later briefing. _“I appreciate your assistance. I didn't believe you would- ah, no. Thank you for telling me.”_

 

Asteria tilted her head at his hesitation, though in the end she simply nodded. _“There is something else, however.”_ He raised a brow, which she took as a sign to continue. _“We uncovered new intel in the process, but Juven does not have time to confirm it himself. The Tailor's Society owns a warehouse that supposedly is full of items they should not own_.”

 

Alminas raised his head almost imperceptibly. _“Are we talking about the head of the Tailor’s Society?”_

 

“ _His son_.” As the Jorcastles’ elf Alminas had to be aware of the events that had occurred. The question was whether he would share such important information about his house with her. So far none of them, not even Rincole, had crossed the line of interfering with their house's business.

 

 _“I overheard a conversation about a young noble who was arrested for hurting other patrons in a bar fight,”_ he said without hesitation. “ _People disagree on the cause, but they say that he hurt innocents until an elven bard stepped in._ ”

 

 _“Is the noble the one Lady Jorcastle has taken in_?”

 

“ _Yes. As for the elf in question… We might both have an idea who they were talking about. Perhaps he knows more_.”

 

 _“Do you know where I could find him?”_ she asked.

 

_“The Bavlenkas haven't planned to host any balls in the near future. I believe you might have more luck at the tavern.”_

 

_“Thank you.”_

 

“I will return to my duties now - unless you have any matters you still want to discuss,” he said, loud enough for the human spectators to hear.

This last time he looked directly into Asteria's eyes. _“Should you ever be in need of help, know that you can always ask for it.”_

 

Asteria shook her head, smiling. She knew that he meant it. She also knew that she wouldn't dare burden him with even more trouble.

 

She picked up Barbara's bag. For now she had to wait.

 

* * *

  


_“You must be joking.”_ Willow stared at her over his tankard. Most of his face was hidden from view, but she could tell he was not happy.

He was sitting in a different corner of the tavern, surrounded by people Asteria had never met before. The afternoon was only beginning, yet there were few empty seats left to claim. Finsel's commoners seemed not to mind getting inhibited this early.

 

_“You know I would not ask if I didn't believe it to be important.”_

 

_“Of course I do. You're here to save your little pink friend again.”_

 

She couldn't deny that. Asteria looked down, letting her cherry beverage swirl in her cup. _“Please do not call him that.”_

The air in the room was thick with smells and sounds that had been familiar to her once, years ago. It felt like a lifetime ago; sitting in this tavern and talking to friends, and just like last time she realized how out of place she felt. Juven had poked fun at her once for trying to fit in. “Your beauty would stand out anywhere, even if you were dressed in the dirtiest rags in the world,” he'd said. The boy liked to exaggerate.

Maybe she was being foolish.

 

_“What makes you think that I know anything?”_

 

A man several seats left to Asteria kept staring rather overtly at her. He had passed her on his way in earlier, reeking of sweat and cheap beer. Many of the people behind her didn't smell any better however, with so many of them crammed into this small tavern.

She tried to channel her thoughts back to Willow.

 

 _“Rumors said that a young noble got into a fistfight at a local tavern. He hurt several innocents until a heroic elven bard got involved,”_ she said.

 

_“I am hardly the only elven bard in Finsel.”_

 

Asteria could not hide a smile. _“You are the only elven bard I heard of who would willingly take a stand against a violent drunkard.”_

 

 _“Great. And I remember we had an agreement to stay out of noble business.”_ He tugged at his gloves, tapping his foot against the nearest chair. _“And each other's.”_

 

She gripped her mug a little tighter. He was right. Alminas and her had been the first to break the unspoken agreement. _“I am not asking you to accompany me. I merely need to know the warehouse’s whereabouts.”_

 

_“What for?”_

 

 _“I cannot tell you.”_ Not if he wanted to stay impartial.

 

Willow stretched out his legs, crossing one over the other. _“Then I can't help you.”_

 

She took a deep breath, once again going through her mental list of people she could ask for help in this matter . Juven would not only help but get personally involved, which was the last thing she needed. Magda was a dear friend, but her knowledge of Finsel's underside didn't reach further than the slum she visited. There was always Alminas, but he would have been unwise to act even if he wanted to. He had already crossed a line with his interest in Finsel's current situation.

Willow was a friend, even if he was with the Bavlenkas. _“Several sources hinted at illegal wares in that warehouse. According to the tailor they simply store cotton inside. I know he is tied to the Jorcastles, so there might be more to find.”_

 

Another patron rose from her seat, finally allowing Asteria to get a clear view of Willow. He was dressed in less extravagant clothes than usual and he had tied his hair into a bun. He took another gulp, then put down his tankard.

_“And since the Big Four can never leave each other alone my employer is likely involved, as well. If they find out that I was meddling with their business they will cut more than just my salary.”_

 

She swallowed, the taste of her drink now bitter on her tongue. _“I have no intention to directly oppose any family.”_

 

 _“The warehouse you’re searching for is in a different part of town, and they would never leave it unguarded.”_ He paused to nod and wave at someone. _“The fastest way from here leads through the gang district. Come to think of it, it probably still belongs to their territory.”_

 

Asteria flinched as someone behind her slammed a fist onto a wooden table, laughing loudly as they did. The balls Juven invited her to were busy and lively, at times too much so, but they were nothing compared to this. She had no idea how Willow could stand the cacophony of sounds and smells for hours on end.

 _“The faster this matter is settled, the better,”_ she said. Juven would hear of her actions sooner or later no matter what she did, but she hoped that she would have answers by that time. _“I will take full responsibility for whatever may happen.”_

 

Willow sat up at that and outright scowled. _“Right, because there wouldn't be half a dozen people lining up to murder me the moment anything goes wrong.”_ Before she could respond he added, _“you know I'm less worried about your abilities than about the consequences.”_

 

She did. And yet she had to do it. _“I understand. Thank you for listening and considering it, Willow.”_

 

He didn't answer.

 

Asteria emptied her cup and reached into her coat to take out the purse. She let the coins jingle, taking her time to choose the right one before she put it on the counter and slid it towards the bartender. He studied her face as he took her cup and leaned a little closer. “I’d be careful about showing off your riches in places like this, M’lady. Mightn’t be taken well everywhere.”

Asteria gave a small nod and smiled at him, then at the patron who had been watching her. “Thank you for your advice. I will keep it in mind.”

 

She was at the door when she felt someone at her back. She turned to find herself face to face with her watcher. He had furrowed his brows and crossed his arms, and he leaned forward as if to speak. He froze as a gloved hand came to rest on his shoulder.

 

“May I get the honor of escorting the lady out, myself?” Willow smiled at the stranger, who quickly nodded and retreated without a word.

 

Willow sighed audibly this time and leaned against a wooden beam, locking gazes with her. _“You did that on purpose, didn't you?”_

 

Asteria didn't answer.

 

Willow ran his hand through his hair, earning himself a giggle from one of the younger girls at the nearest table. He paid them no mind. _“Give me a moment.”_

 

* * *

 

She waited outside, watching as several people entered and left the pub. Among them was the man from before, nodding awkwardly towards her before he headed for the nearest alley.

 

Finally it was Willow who exited the building, without his jacket or the gloves that he always wore in public. His hands were covered in bruises and the skin on his knuckles looked chafed. He shoved them into his pockets when he noticed her gaze.

 

“Are you sure you can go without a jacket?”

“I'm fine. Let's go before I change my mind or punch someone.”

 

They walked in silence, a welcome change after all the noise from before. A bit further down the road the cobblestones ended, marking the transition from the upper town to the slums.

The streets were never completely devoid of life there; commoners hurried past them, heads low,  some of them clutching bags to their chests.

 

Tiny huts framed their path, some held together by barely more than sheer luck. Not all of them seemed abandoned. Some stood so close to each other that people had connected them with clotheslines, letting their shirts dry in the cold. Most looked so worn that the owners didn't have to worry about them being stolen.

 

 _“From now on you should get ready to use your magic,”_ Willow said, and Asteria nodded.

 

Though she had been in gang territory before she had never traveled this far, much less as the day was nearing its end. The sun still left them some light on their path, but it got darker with every passing minute. The narrow passages were of no help either.

 

Somewhere in the distance a dog barked. Another one answered with a high-pitched howl of its own, this time just around the corner.

 

A few of the buildings were in much better condition than the rest of the slum, even the tavern they had visited. The shabby huts made for a stark contrast, as their condition seemed to worsen with every building they passed.

Still she found alert eyes looking back at her, watching the pair as they traveled past their homes.

 

_“How did you learn of the address?”_

_And why did you ask for it in the first place?_ was left unsaid, but Willow understood what she wanted to ask either way.

 

He huffed. _“Cause a few loose teeth and you get a loose tongue. Sometimes they even say something interesting.”_

 

Neither of them said more, though they both quickened their pace as the sky darkened into black.

 

They only slowed down when they reached a fork in the road. For a moment she thought they would turn right and head towards the docks, and she almost bumped into Willow when he stopped in his tracks.

Further down the road a door opened and two men came into view. One of them was resting his hand on the hilt of his rapier. The second closed the door behind them, yawned- and turned towards the elves.

Asteria pressed her lips together and her fingers twitched as she called magic into them - but Willow positioned himself in front of her, thumbs in his pockets, and slightly shook his head.

She paused.

One of the strangers studied Willow for a long moment, his hand still on the door handle. Then he turned away, starting to whistle a tune as he walked in the opposite direction, followed by his friend.

Asteria let out a shaky breath. Willow watched the two men until they had disappeared in the darkness, then turned back to her and nodded towards the left path.

Asteria knew better than to ask.

 

She hoped Juven wasn't waiting or, even worse, following her. He was the most stubborn of the Sakans, and while he could be reasoned with Asteria couldn't shake the feeling of being stalked. Maybe Juven's paranoia had infected her.

 

Willow's voice cut off her thoughts. _“We're here.”_

 

She pulled her coat tighter and nodded.

 

The warehouse didn't stand out from the other buildings, a sensible decision in a neighborhood like this: From the outside they seemed to be in a well-enough state. Judging by the smell, however, they were standing in sewage. She tried to mitigate it by breathing through her mouth, though it barely helped.

 

“Nice smell, don't you think?” Willow wrinkled his nose and looked down at her, though he seemed more amused than sympathetic. “If nobles knew where their clothes came from they'd be outraged.”

 

_“Why isn't anyone guarding it?”_

 

 _“Maybe they are and it's a trap.”_ Willow's expression shifted, but instead of fear a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. _“In which case we should find the guards and deal with them first.”_

 

Asteria held her breath, listening intently as much as her heart hammering in her chest allowed. Humans were loud, their steps heavy even when they tried to tread softly. Easy to spot. Willow and her moved slowly, scanning every window as they circled the warehouse. Nothing.

 

 _“Are you certain you were told the right address?”_ she finally asked as they reached its front side, still without a sign of life.

 

 _“It’s not their only warehouse, of course. I am just very sure it’s the one you are searching for.”_ His confident smile had vanished, however.

 

By now the evening had fallen, dusk surrounding them, and Asteria knew they had to act soon. She cast one last glance towards the building - and finally noticed that the entrance door stood open.

Her legs moved on their own, taking her closer and closer to the entrance.

A moment later Willow's footsteps followed, catching up with her just as she reached for the door. The foul smell from before now mixed with a new one, even worse than the first, and she grabbed the end of her cloak to press it against her nose and mouth. Copper, so strong that she could taste it on her tongue - and beneath it was a sweetness that almost made her heave.

 

Even Willow hesitated, curling his hands into fists. He said nothing, but he shook his head, stepping between her and the building as if to stop her. Then he pushed the door open with his foot. Part of her wanted to heed his warning, yet her feet carried her forward.

 

Upside down boxes and abandoned tools were strewn all over. Various fabrics and wool had fallen to the floor, with tufts of fur sticking to them.

 

Amidst the chaos five orens were laying on the ground. What was left of them was more akin to a mass of ripped clothes and flesh, however. Their skin was covered with bite and scratch marks and patches of fur had been torn from their tails.

All around them lay translucent feathers, shimmering softly in the lantern light.

Sulla feathers.

 

She tore her gaze away, looking anywhere but at the bodies. At the ceiling and unopened crates, at the still burning lanterns.

 

Movement on the upper level caught her attention.

 

Asteria threw up her hand, raising a wave of magic around it. Willow stumbled back until he bumped into the wall, instinctively raising his fists. Asteria concentrated on her powers and lifted one of the wooden crates, hurling it at the stranger. The crate smashed into the wall, wood splintered. A muffled shout answered her, but the person evaded the obstacle and bound over it.

An oren, all red ears and red hair, stumbled towards an open window on the upper floor. With a nimble move he jumped up to its ledge and pulled himself upward.

Then he was gone.

 

“Shit!” Willow first hasted towards the stairs in attempt to go after the intruder, but then spun around to look at her. “We need to get out of here! If anyone else sees us-”

 

“I'm sorry-” she gasped as he gripped her shoulder, pushing her roughly towards the exit. “Run. Run!”

 

So she ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, we appreciate every sort of feedback, be it your opinion on what happened, or maybe mistakes and awkward phrases you saw. Thank you for reading!


	3. Juven

The buzzing of wings was everywhere; to his left, his right, moving faster than any human ever could. Juven held his breath as he looked up. Nothing.

He pressed his back against the ruins of a wall, wishing he could become invisible just for a moment. He had to find Alan.

A high-pitched shriek cut through the air, so unlike a human, so unlike the Sulla it should have been. People were screaming, too. Screams of fear, not pain, he hoped.

Joining the fight without proper armor had been foolish, but there was no time for regret now. Juven gripped his bow, rolled over onto his stomach and reached for his quiver. Four arrows left.

He crawled forward, past the twisted body of a fallen enemy, past an abandoned sword - useless, they would kill him before he got close enough - and dropped his head to the ground again. A split second later the whirring of insect wings was right above his right ear; he could feel the gust of wind blowing in his face, could see a shadow rushing past.

Another shrill scream, then a human voice. “Only three left!”

His blood rushed in his ears, but he pushed himself up and forward until he was running, skidding over the marble floor, past the Sulla, over a body, taking cover behind a pillar.

He leaned to his right. One enemy had its back turned to him, the other evaded Alan's sword blow. The third flew towards Xavier.

 _Now_.

Aim. Draw. Shoot. The arrow hit close to the closer Sulla's neck, the creature falling silent as it clawed at the arrow in a futile attempt at removing it. Its wings slowed, then stopped. He didn't have time to watch it die. Two were left.

He lifted his bow again, willing his hands to stop shaking. Xavier had created a barrier around himself to stop the second attack, but the last Sulla was nowhere to be seen. Juven heard the buzzing too late. He let got of the bow, reaching for his knife instead. He spun around. Too late.

The Sulla sank its claws into his right arm, and for a second Juven only stared as it dragged them down, pulling him along. Then he regained control over his body again, gripped the hilt of his knife and drove it upwards into the Sulla's jaw. It tried to scream, but all that came out of its mouth was blood.

Juven pressed against its collarbone with his uninjured left arm, watching it twitch and struggle until it finally fell to the side, lifeless eyes staring straight ahead.

 

Blood. On the ground, on his knife, running down his arm, and ah, now it was his, mingling with the Sulla's.

The smell of copper was everywhere. “Juven!”

He looked up to see Alan crouching in front of him, no longer with a sword in his hand but with a leather satchel hanging from his shoulder. There was blood on his face, running down his cheek, but Alan didn't move to wipe it away. He only pierced Juven with a hard stare, one unfamiliar, unfitting for his usual self. “How bad is it?” he asked, sliding closer before searching for bandages in his bag.

“It's fine,” Juven said. Only then he lowered his gaze to inspect the wound. A long gash ran down his arm, blood oozing through his sleeve. It would need stitches. His whole arm was pulsing uncomfortably now, though the pain had not set in. Yet.

“We'll get you out of here.” Alan looked up, still wearing the same stern expression, before finally relaxing. “We are done here. The Sullas are gone.”

“No need to cry about this,” Juven said, careful to keep the smile on his face as he pulled his sleeve up without touching the wound. “I know a few people who would react badly to this little accident. This is no problem.” He stretched his arm to prove his point, though he regretted it immediately when a wave of pain shot through his body.

Alan didn't smile. “You can't fight again, Juven.”

Juven raised a brow. “It's a bit early to decide that, no?”

Alan shook his head and pointed at Juven's arm. “This is what you call too early?”

Juven scoffed. “Of all the people to be surprised by someone getting hurt in a fight it's _you_?”

And of all the people to get hurt it was him. Rather pathetic for a Sakan.

 

“You have a family to protect,” Alan said, and finally he showed a hint of a smile. “And you are already helping everyone a lot.”

Caring about nothing more than their own family was the reason Finsel had gotten into its current predicament, but that wasn't what Alan needed to hear. So Juven raised his left arm, grabbed Alan's shoulder and said, “better stay alive, then. We are all waiting for you to win, even if some people don't know it yet.”

 

In the meantime the best Juven could do was to help by gathering information.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The door fell shut behind him. On either side of it stood guards, wearing their usual single-colored green capes and stern expressions.

Juven sent them a smile anyway, then turned towards the ballroom.

 

“The decoration is beautiful,” Xavier said, moving to stand next to him.

He was right. It was impressive that the Jorcastles still found a way to afford these balls.

Today it was decorated in saturated yellow hues, from the napkins and small flowers on each table to the long curtains framing each window and the door to the balcony, offering a stark contrast to the darkness outside.

The only specks of green in the room were the guards’ capes and the Jorcastle banners that hung from the arched ceiling, as if Tilla worried that her guests would forget who hosted today's festivity.

Xavier looked back to the entrance, watching more guests enter and leave the hall. “I am surprised that the Duchess still hosts balls of this size,” he finally said, quiet enough so only Juven could hear.

“I would ask her how she does it,” Juven said, “though I fear that she would rather stab me with a rusty fork before assisting me in any way.”

He looked past Xavier's lopsided smile, scanning the room for the Jorcastles.

 

Lady Lynna and her lap dog paraded around, trying to hide the fact that they avoided crossing paths with the Duchess.

He spotted Tilla Jorcastle on the far end of the room, stalking through the hall like a cat on the prowl, ready to sink her claws into anyone she saw as a threat. Which naturally included Juven, for better or worse. He would keep his eyes open and avoid stepping on her toes for now.

In the centre of the hall the green peacock and the eyas were dancing to a lively song. Juven smiled when Magda stepped on Gonzalo's foot. Other than that they moved astonishingly well together, neither tripping over the boy's long cape nor his overblown ego.

 

A group of women passed Xavier and him on the way to the dancefloor, hiding behind their fans while they giggled at their sight. Juven grinned back, then glanced at Xavier, who suddenly seemed very busy with buttoning up his jacket. The shadow looming over his shoulder seemed all the more interested in them.

“I am not trying to dispose of you, but you would make more than one person happy if you went over and danced with the beautiful ladies, my friend.” That earned him a rare frown from Xavier.

Black Shadow cackled. “You heard him, boy. At least one here knows why balls exist.”

Juven smiled. Black Shadow had been easy to win over. If humans were preoccupied with beauty, Black Shadow lived for it. At times he was almost amusing, if one ignored that he was an ancient mage drooling over young girls. Xavier insisted that the attempts at taking over his body were decreasing, as if that could provide any comfort. Juven still remembered the most recent event all too well - it had taken more than just a few nice words to soothe the tempers, most notably Lady Lou's. Still, Black Shadow's knowledge of magic proved to be of immense value.

He would talk to them later. For now Juven had other tasks to complete.

 

In between the usual crowd of nobles he could make out a few new faces. A woman wearing Rayorcan clothes was comparing their fabrics to that of a younger noble.

A pale, tall man made sure to get recognized as a knight by parading around with armor that outshone even Barbalius’. With his pale skin and mint eyes he could have been a relative, though imagining him as an older Barbalius with a shiny and bald egg-shaped head was rather amusing. The egg seemed disinterested in conversation for now, only tilting his head whenever someone greeted him.

Most were likely associated with the Jorcastles in one way or another, but he would ask for more intelligence from his informants later.

 

Juven turned towards the banquet and the dining tables. Servants passed him, carrying clean glasses, plates and silverware towards the chattering guests toasting wine to one another. Juven let his fingers slide over the tablecloth as he walked along the buffet. The food smelled good, though he had eaten earlier in the day. Balls were for drinking, talking and - even more importantly - listening. People became more comfortable and talkative as evenings progressed, though few were drunk enough for that to happen as of yet.

 

Juven chose a seat next to Lady Alcatel, a middle-aged woman currently debating the use of enchantments with Viscount Ralph.

“The mage's enchantments look nice enough,” Ralph said, “but I would never consider parting with that much money for some fad.”

 _Which explains his very shiny new pocketwatch_ , Juven thought, though he only raised his voice to address Alcatel. “May I sit next to you, my beautiful lady?” he asked, putting his hand on the chair's back.

Alcatel didn't try to hide her smile, though he noticed her seizing him up. “You may, Viscount Sakan.”

Of course she wouldn't refuse. Alcatel was respectful and easy on the eyes, but neither of an important standing nor interested in such. Not as conceited as others, no doubt, but everything considered no more than a 5. There always was room for improvement, however, as Father liked to say.

Juven sat down and held up his hand. “I didn't intend to interrupt, so please continue.”

“I heard Master Xavier would visit this ball, so I thought I'd ask him for advice, I think.”

Juven merely smiled and nodded whenever the conversation demanded for it. He'd heard this talk many times before.

 

Juven turned his gaze away, scanning the crowd close to the dancing couples again. Gonzalo was busy showing off his feathered cape to whoever was willing to watch. Not far from him Tilla exchanged words with the shiny egg from before. He patted his breastplate, then the hilt of his sword. Whoever he was, he wanted to fight. Maybe as another hireling for the army, although the Duchess was not the one responsible for recruitment.

Maybe a few of his contacts would know him and confirm Juven’s suspicions. He also would have to check on the Olineauxes. Since their failed recruitment of the city guard's remnants they had turned to less favorable hirelings, if rumors were true.

He had been staring for too long, it seemed, as Tilla turned her head in his direction. Their eyes met, and Juven gave her his brightest smile. Tilla only narrowed her eyes.

 

The phrase “murdered Orens” drew his attention back to the table.

He raised a brow. Nobles taking interest in anything but bemoaning Oren rights was unusual.

“It happened only yesterday!” Lady Alcatel said, her voice just slightly too excited for the topic of her gossip.

“Orens die every day,” Viscount Ralph said, sounding thoroughly uninterested.

Alcatel's smile grew wider. “Of course, but that is not why I am telling you this, gentlemen. This time an elf was involved. One you have met before, I think.”

More heads turned towards her. Lady Alcatel started fanning herself, obviously pleased to have their full attention. “He regularly attended noble balls as a bard, you see. Someone saw him running away from the scene. I heard he got caught this morning. Of course he denies his involvement, but it seems like a clear case to the guards.”

Juven leaned back in his chair. He put his right hand on the armrest, then suppressed a curse as pain shot through his whole limb.

Luckily no one seemed to notice, as Ralph spoke up. “Well, who are you talking about?”

“Willow, of course!” someone behind Alcatel said. “What other elf gets invited to our balls to sing?”

“Er, no, I… I heard it was Wollow,” Lady Alcatel said, tugging at her fan, her smile now crooked.

“That's the bard one hires if one can't afford Willow, isn't it?” There was a tinge of amusement in Ralph's tone. “And where did you get that information from? I heard nothing of the sort.”

She pressed her lips together, clearly not happy about the direction the conversation was going. Time to act.

Juven clicked his tongue. “Let a lady keep her secrets, Viscount. I am sure she has many reliable sources.” There were more important questions to be answered for now. “What makes you sure it was him?”

“Well, several people swore up and down that they had seen him, and they all described him in the same manner - a tall, blonde elf. A bard, and beautiful. Though I guess it could have been Willow, all elves are beautiful. But… No, I think they said it was Wollow. Wollow has a crooked nose, you see, not as elegant as Willow's, and I think they mentioned that.”

Juven willed his foot to stay still. ”I believe they fit that description, yes.”

Alcatel nodded fervently. “But that isn't all. Some even said there were _two_ elves. No one knew who the second one was, however. Just that they had similar hair.”

No one _she_ knew, at least.

“They were blonde, as well?” Ralph asked, scratching his chin. “That doesn't really rule out any of the local elves, does it?”

Juven somehow kept his smile as both nobles looked at him, with sudden unease, yet a certain curiosity. “I will vouch for Lady Asteria's innocence, if that is what you were suggesting.”

“N-no! Your elf- Lady Asteria surely wouldn't do that!” Alcatel started fanning herself frantically, and even Ralph averted his gaze. “She is such a beautiful woman, no one would say she has a crooked nose!”

Maybe he should lower her score to a 4.

Ralph set his cup back onto the table, loudly enough to distract the woman from talking. “Besides, what would anyone want with those Orens?”

Lady Alcatel seemed to ponder for a moment. “They might have been thieves or beggars. Maybe the dumb things tried to rob them. No one would accept that. Has anyone seen any of the elves, lately?”

“Maybe all of them worked together and kidnapped Alminas,” Juven suggested helpfully, though neither seemed to appreciate the comment.

“What an interesting idea,” Lady Tilla Jorcastle said.

 _Shit_.

Juven watched as she sat on the empty chair to his left. Alcatel and Ralph sat up straight, apparently excited that the Duchess deigned to join their table. Of course neither dared to interrupt the oncoming interrogation.

"What gives us the honor of your presence, beautiful Lady Jorcastle?” he asked.

She demonstratively folded her hands together. “I simply wish to follow your conversation. It sounded like you were sharing interesting information.”

He had no idea how long she had been standing there. He'd forgotten to look at Ralph. Juven leaned closer towards Tilla, whose face twitched ever so slightly at his move. “I would never say no to a beautiful woman joining our little gathering.”

She still wore her smile, but her eyes told a different story. “Good. Keep on talking.”

To his luck Lady Alcatel jumped at the chance to shine. “We were just discussing yesterday's events. They found a few Orens, literally torn to shreds. There were elves involved, though we aren't sure who. I-I am sure it's not your elf, Lady Jorcastle.”

“My elf is fulfilling his duty as the commander of the guard today. You do not need to worry about his future, as he has no time to spare for lowlife.“ Alcatel sat up to babble her agreements, but Tilla continued, switching the topic without a beat. “Barris Sakan must be happy about having wormed his way into noble business,” she said, and Juven let out a silent breath.

Of course she had heard of the news, and likely a version that came closer to the truth than something his other conversation partners knew.

“I assume he is, though one wouldn't be able to tell from his expression."

Ralph hid his amusement behind a cough, though Tilla remained undeterred. "So there will be new laws after all,” she said. “I had thought as much.”

A quick glance to the side told him that Ralph and Alcatel had not yet heard of the news, but that they would spread the word as quickly as wildfire.

If he criticized Barris too much they would take that as reason for spreading more rumors, but it would be just as dangerous to give people the impression that Juven himself had ordered the changes in law for his own gain.

“My uncle has the best intentions, though for once I find myself less knowledgeable than you seem to be, Duchess.”

He didn't even have to lie. His stubborn fool of an uncle still refused to tell him more, though no matter what Barris was trying to do, Juven doubted that his attempts would come to fruition any time soon.

"I am sure that you won't have to worry about these laws, Duchess, should they ever come into effect." Another truth. Unless Barris turned into the goddess herself and performed a miracle - or several - she would find a way to escape any sort of judgment, just like everyone else important enough. Not unless Juven finally found a way to frame them.

Tilla’s gaze was ice. "The same goes for you, Viscount."

“Is there anything else you wish to discuss?” he asked lightly.

This time Juven couldn't quite read her expression, but she finally shook her head. “No.”

“In that case I apologize for cutting this pleasant conversation short, but I promised my friend over there,” he pointed at Xavier and his little floating enigma, “to drink a glass of wine with him. I have ignored him for far too long.”

 

Xavier had stayed in the background, half hidden between the pillars in a quieter corner of the room. Still, he never had to worry about being excluded from conversations - there were always women desperate to talk to an attractive enchanter. His expression changed to utter relief when he saw Juven approach.

 

“Long time no see,” Juven said with a half-joking, half-serious bow.

Xavier smiled awkwardly. “Agreed,” he said, absentmindedly pulling at his gloves. “Though I lost track of time with all the new enchantment orders-” He gave a small cough, hastily adding, “though of course I don't want to _complain-_ ”

“Get to the point, boy. We're here to talk about hot women.”

Xavier made a pained face as several women looked at Black Shadow, evidently anything but impressed.

“They simply drive you mad,” Juven agreed, watching as the crowd of women around them fell silent and slowly dispersed. Some women sent him accusing glares, others tried to hide their interest with varying success as they let themselves get dragged away.

“There,” Black Shadow finally snarled once everyone was gone, “we can talk about hot women without all the hot women now.”

“Thank you for your assistance,” Juven said, watching as the women rejoined the other guests.

“You'd better. There's not much to say, though. You tell him, boy.”

Xavier folded his arms and sighed. “I fear that he's right. We know that it can be spread through oral ingestion, so we will test various methods of distribution.”

“What I wouldn't do to get hot women through oral-” Black Shadow's form was sent flying.

“I will let you know once we get any worthwhile result.”

Juven nodded, watching as the dark mass got catapulted into the farthest corner, disappearing among the crowd.

Xavier let out a long, quiet breath. Then he peeked at Juven's right arm. Juven folded his hands behind his back and shrugged slightly.

He didn't feel like talking about it.

Xavier seemed to understand, as he turned to search for the cursed spirit again. They waited a moment, but of course it was nowhere to be seen. “Please excuse me for a moment. I might have to retrieve him before he- well.”

Juven waved his hand - the right one, to show that he was fine - and took his chance to find the eyas.

 

Magda stood close to the lavish buffet, her usual spot whenever she wasn't dancing or chatting with other guests. She had learned to look a little less lost, though some days she looked even paler than usual, casting longing gazes at the chocolate cakes and strawberry pies. Once or twice he'd caught her with one, looking guilty but pleased as she chewed.

Eliza was no doubt refusing to let her eat a single piece of cake, lest she gained any weight. A shame, really.

Lady Eliza liked to think that she went with the time, though she was as adept as his father in ignoring the parts of reality she didn't like. For them time stood still.

He was still waiting for the day his father would stop prancing around like a child pretending to be a secret hero; something Juven had long since grown tired of.

 

Right now Magda was eyeing the lemon pastries stacked up on a silver plate, though she made sure to greet everyone walking by.

He made his way to her, grabbing two muffins on the way.

“Good evening, my lovely eyas.”

She bowed politely. “Good evening, Viscount.”

 

He held up the food in front of him as if he were inspecting it.

“I planned to take some of these home to Alan's pet, but I forgot that piggy is allergic to citrus. Would you help a friend out and relieve me from this burden?”

Magda raised a brow, looking first at the muffin, then at him, and took it.

 

“If it's any consolation, you aren't too obvious about your craving for sweets,” Juven said. “One day I might even hire you as a food thief, should I require one.”

 

She lowered her gaze to stare at the muffin as if it was responsible for her plight. “Is there anything you want do discuss, Viscount?”

“Besides our hostess’ regrettable attitude and terrible disposition?” The way Magda's eyes widened in horror was always worth it. “Do not worry, eyas. Our dear lady cannot hear us.”

He nodded towards the dining tables, where Tilla was still wedged between Alcatel and her new conversation partner, looking only mildly engrossed in whatever topic was being discussed.

“I am a bit worried about Alan,” Magda said.

The City Guard hadn't been established to join wars and Alan had turned down every single offer to align himself with another faction; yet he and his men were fighting, perhaps at this very moment. Naturally Juven had offered his help again - as a friend, not the head of a family - but Alan, ever the heroic fool, had refused.

“You know him. He is more stubborn than anyone else in Finsel. We should consider ourselves lucky that he is on our side.”

 

That got a small laugh out of her. “I know,” she said, turning the pastry slowly in her hands.

They were quiet for a moment, though the silence wasn't an uncomfortable one. She looked more relaxed now, and Juven found himself glad to be alone with her, simply watching the others moving about. He would have to return to the crowd soon enough.

“Have you seen Miss Asteria?” she suddenly asked, her blue eyes now fixed on him. It was an innocuous question, but it hit the mark.

Juven swallowed, fighting the urge to groan. No, he had not. He also had not seen her yesterday or the day before that. He hadn't seen much of her at all, lately.

“Playing with your food is not very ladylike, Miss Ellenstein.”

 

Magda's mouth turned into a thin line. She put the muffin aside only to look him in the eye again, for once refusing to be distracted. “Mother told me Miss Asteria would attend the ball, so I had assumed that you had invited her.”

He regarded her for a moment. “She was invited, yes.” Whether she would come was another matter entirely. “Though I brought Xavier with me, as he has a similar tendency to spend his free time hunched over books instead of talking to people.”

 

“I'd be very thankful if you told her that I'd like to meet her.”

So Magda could be assertive, after all. He took a step towards her, lowering his voice just a bit. “Surely you won't mind sharing your reason, my sweet eyas.”

Now she definitely looked like she had lost her appetite. “ _Surely_ you know that I would tell you if I could.”

 

“Of course,” he said, just quick enough to seem genuine. “And you wouldn't lie to a friend.”

A light blush rose to her cheeks. “I…” She tilted her head, looking to the side as if in thought. Finally she sighed in defeat. “I heard certain rumors.”

This was easy. _Too easy_ , a tiny voice whispered, and he struggled to push the thought to the back of his mind. It was a good thing she was so easy to manipulate. That was what Father had wanted from the start. As long as she kept her guard up with other nobles everything was fine. “Of the elves involved in oren murders? You must have talked to Lady Alcatel.”

Magda nodded, then smiled half-heartedly. “I have trouble thinking of Mister Willow as a culprit. Of anyone I know, really.”

 

Alcatel had mentioned Wollow, but he didn't correct her. Willow wasn't dense enough to kill people in broad daylight; at least not without making it look like self-defense.

 _Still…_ “That is what anyone says about their acquaintances, particularly friends and family, no?”

She surprised him with a glare. “I am not sure what you are trying to say, Viscount.”

 

“Is that so?” he said, leaning his head slightly to the side. “Your furrowed eyebrows tells me otherwise. In this case I'm inclined to agree with you, if it really needs to be said.”

Magda's eyes widened, but Juven continued as if he hadn't noticed. “It's not the first time that someone related to me has been target of ridiculous accusations. You do not need to worry about Asteria - nor Willow, for that matter. You know how one deals with rumors.”

She didn't look quite convinced, but she raised a brow and pursed her lips. “And what shall I tell the next person to ask if your friends are secretly murderers?”

Juven grinned. “That it was me, all along.”

 

For a moment the music stopped, and guests hurriedly switched places to find a spot on the dance floor.

Juven rolled his wrists, ignoring the pressure of the bandage around his arm, and held out his hand to her. “May I have the honor, or would you prefer to do away with the pastry first?”

She shook her head and took his hand. They moved towards the center of the hall, sidestepping a few pairs as the band began resumed their play.

Juven made sure to hold himself like he always did, leading her as they made the first steps, when he felt Magda's gaze on him. He looked down at her, just in time to see her lift the sleeve over his bandaged arm with a feather light touch. He drew his arm back, just a fraction, but it was enough to make her look up apologetically.

“Are you worried about me, eyas?”

She hesitated only a moment. “Would that offend you?”

His smile wavered, but he made sure to turn it into a grin. “Maybe.”

He gripped her hand more firmly, ignoring the pain that shot through his arm at the movement. “There is nothing to worry about.”

Then felt a familiar pressure on his foot. Magda let out a short breath, sending him an apologetic look. He didn't react, only applied gentle pressure on her waist to spin them around, just in time to evade an elbow.

“Bravo, eyas. This is an improvement to the previous ball,” he said as they linked hands again.

Magda pressed her lips together, cheeks red, but held his gaze.

She stepped on his toes two more times.

 

All in all she had changed a lot since they'd first met, however. Her dance moves were graceful when they didn't end on his feet, and she carried herself with more confidence. Even Asteria spoke highly of her, though she refused to tell him Magda's elven name. Juven watched her blue eyes scan the crowd around them.

She almost surprised him when she finally returned his gaze.

“Lady Asteria is here,” she whispered, and Juven whipped his head around, just in time to see a green cape disappear behind a pillar.

“I assume you want to speak to her first,” she mumbled, and his lips twitched upwards.

“Thank you, Miss Ellenstein,” he said.

She let go of his hands the moment the song ended, giving him a slight nod as she slipped away.

 

As usual Asteria had fled to the balcony, her hood pulled up as if she could hide herself from view that way. She always had an air of grace around her, but when she turned to face him he could see the dark circles under her eyes, and the way she tugged at the fabric of her cape spoke volumes. Somehow she had never learned the art of acting.

Part of him wanted to make another quip, another - more reasonable one - wanted to know what had happened. He said nothing, however, only took one of the flowers that decorated the stone balustrade. He rested his arms on the railing, flicking the petals off into the Jorcastle's garden. Asteria watched them fall, still unmoving.

He picked another flower, twirled it between his fingers and finally sent it flying off the balcony, too. “It's rather cold outside, don't you think?”

Asteria regarded him as if she had only now noticed that he was, in fact, standing next to her. “Yes.”

That was a start. “I am surprised that you came here.”

She stayed quiet at first, but when she raised her head again it seemed like she wanted to speak. Her gaze darted from one side of the balcony to the other, then to the door.

Before she could answer, however, a pair of young women walked by, sending shy smiles their way as they passed. They found a spot in the farthest corner of the balcony, half obscured by a marble statue of the late Lord Jorcastle. They would no doubt sneak some glances towards Asteria and him as they shared whatever gossip they had picked up.

 

“You don't look well,” he finally said, just loud enough for her to hear.

At least she didn't deny it. “I am sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to appear inappropriate. I should have stayed at home.”

 

“You are always beautiful,” he said, because it was true. Even when she was tired. Even when she was hiding the truth. “No one here will notice. They're too busy gossiping about you to actually look.”

Asteria tugged at the hem of her cloak. “The usual talk?”

 _Not quite._ She would hear of the gossip soon enough if Magda got a hold of her, so he focused on a different topic. “They certainly didn't talk about you borrowing books from my father's collection.” He shifted his weight to lean his back against the stone. “I was hoping that you simply took some time to yourself, but now I believe I will soon hear more news about Sullas from you.”

Her eyes widened and Juven couldn't help but huff. "Barbara loves reading about knights and monsters, and she once tried to copy a map of Finsel's woods while you weren't looking. Accurate drawings of Sulla territory created by militia have never been among her interests.” Seeing her perplexed face he added, ”I had years of practice sorting my father's books, remember? Though my dear uncle sentenced me to another round of sorting just yesterday.”

 

Her expression turned to something that wasn't quite a wry smile, but close to it. “I see.” He didn’t expect her to say more, but after a short moment she added, “I had hoped that I would return with new information instead of empty hands.”

 _Because I couldn't trust you to do it alone,_ Juven finished her sentence.

 

One of the ladies peeked around the statue, and Juven winked at her. She quickly turned her head and raised her hand to fix a loose strand of hair. Her friend lightly slapped her with a fan, only to drag her completely from view.

Juven turned his attention back to Asteria, though another voice interrupted him before he could speak.

“Who in their right mind would go outside when it's so cold?”

“Please take this jacket before you go,” a male voice said, and it wasn't hard to guess who it belonged to.

No doubt Tilla had sent Lynna outside to investigate, though as usual the girl had moderate chances of success, considering her subtlety. Sometimes one had to wonder if she did it intentionally.

A moment later she stepped onto the balcony, tailed closely by her servant. “Ah,” she just said once she saw them.

“Good evening to you, too, Miss Jorcastle,” Juven said lightly.

To his surprise it was Asteria who spoke up next. “Good evening, Lady Jorcastle. I went outside to get fresh air. I am not feeling well and Viscount Sakan was kind enough to ask if he could help me. I fear I will need to leave early.”

 

Lynna cast a suspicious look at Asteria, and Juven had to stop himself from stepping in between.

“And you trust him to help you?” Lynna asked.

He placed his hand above his heart, making a pained face. “Please show mercy to me, Your Excellency. It's already so frigid outside, I don't think I could handle a cold attitude, as well.”

“Spare me your cliché-ridden lines,” Lynna snapped. Then she seemed to realize who she was talking to and added, “I'm not sure if we have a carriage ready right away, so take your time, I suppose.”

“Thank you very much, Lady Jorcastle.” Asteria turned her mouth into a slightly more convincing smile. “I feel honored for being able to attend your events.”

Lynna only huffed, turned on her heel and left, no doubt to interrogate the next poor fellow that crossed her path.

 

Asteria still held on to his arm, and Juven took a breath. He knew what was going to happen - Asteria had done it many times before - yet he had never gotten used to the feeling.

 _“I will talk to you once we are home,”_ her thoughts rang in his head.

He didn't bother to respond.

 

Asteria let go of his arm the moment they set foot into the hall again.

They walked past the dance floor and Magda, who was finally eating her muffin as graciously as she could. Xavier stood next to her, moving his lips, likely to silence the spirit floating in circles around the girl.

 

“I am sorry,” Asteria whispered yet again, and Juven turned his head.

“For _what_?” he asked, sharper than intended.

At times he wanted her to get angry, to raise her voice and shout back. But she didn't. She never did.

They spent the rest of the way in tense silence.

 

Lynna's lap dog had been fast, as the carriage was already waiting for them at the bottom of the entrance stairs. If the Jorcastles were good at one thing it was getting rid of people.

 

He swallowed. “I will return to the ball then, should you have no other need of me. Take care.”

She nodded, giving him a small smile. “You, too.”

 

He watched as the carriage passed through the iron gate, stretching his fingers and moving his wrists as far as the bandages allowed.

Usually Asteria was quick to notice that something was amiss, whether it was him or Barbara or even Barris. The Jorcastles’ ball was no place to speak, but he doubted that she would have told him more had they been at home. The more he pushed the more she pulled away.

It was their little dance, had been for a while now, and he was growing tired of it.

 

There was no time to think about it, however. By now Juven was thankful for the chilly air, but there was no time to clear his head. The ball wasn't over yet. He still had work left to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> By now I cannot tell any longer if Wollow came to be because I accidentally misspelled Willow's name once, but the idea of a knock-off lookalike bard was too funny for me to ignore it.
> 
> Please tell me your thoughts and notify me of mistakes you see!

**Author's Note:**

> This story will be told from different POVs that switch each chapter, including Juven, Asteria and Magda.
> 
> Please notify us of any grammar and spelling mistakes since English isn’t our first language.
> 
> We will be taking everything up to the current game chapter (seven) into account, but will likely deviate as the story is not yet completed and we have to improvise. Our main goal is writing a plausible alternate story that could still happen in the canon universe. With our ships, of course ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)


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